Mechanical toy.



w s. DOLMAN.

MECHANICAL TOY. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 24, 1911.

INVENTOF A TTORNE Y WITNESSES Patented m 7, 1913.-

WALTER S. IDOIlZJtIAZfiT, OF-PHILADELPEIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 7,1913.

Application filed June 2 1, 1911. Serial No. 635,070.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WALTER S. DOLMAN, a

citizen of the United States, residing at.

Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mechanical Toys, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming part thereof, in which Figure 1 is a side View of the external appearance of a toy embodyin my invention. Fig, 2 is a vertical, longitu inal section of the same toy, and Fig. 3 is a horizontal longitudinal section of a different toy also embodying my invention.

My invent-ion is applicable to toy snakes, worms, caterpillars or similar objects which I shall designate as animals of the snake order and is intended to simulate their natural movements in locomotion, without legs, wheels or other means of locomotion being visible. This locomotion is accomplished by the animal bending its body, drawing up the tail toward the head and then straightening out, thus pushing the head forward, the tail being held by points or spurs which engage the floor or ground. The body of the animal may be formed of a coil or helix of thin elastic wire, A, covered with oiled silk or other suitable fabric, B,

and the head may be stamped out of sheet metal and painted, or it may be covered with the same material as the body.

Along the inside of the back, or the convex side or portions of the body, is a flexible back-bone, D, which may be made of thin tem red steel, and a cord, running the length 0 the body is anchored in the tail at t, and fastened to the mechanism in the head, which mechanism, M, serves'to draw it forward and allow it to go back again al-- ternatel When the cord, (3, is drawn forward, t e head and tail are drawnnearer together, thus bending-the body, and when the cord is allowed to go back, the elastic back-bone, D, straightens the body out ain, thus pushin "the head forward, the tail tehing in t e flooror ground by wheels, or disks one on each side.

' the back-bone is in two parts, D and means of the spurs, s, s. Similar spurs may be provided in the head if desired but they are not generally necessary.

The mechanism illustrated embodies ordinary clockwork operated by a coil spring which rotates, by intermediate gearing,qtwo k disks being provided with eccentric pins, 2', 2', which engage eyes in the yoke, 3 The cord, C, being attached to the eye, d,-iii said yoke. A fan, f, operated in the usual manner, serves as a brake to prevent the mechanism .going too fast. capement may be used instead of the fan, but I find the clicking of the same objectionable and prefer the fan.

The clockwork in the, head is of well known construction and forms no part of my invention, and'it may be varied within wide limits without departing from the spirit thereof.

In Fig. 3, my invention is illustrated as applied to a snake makin a double bend of the body or an S. sliape bend. The only modification of the mechanism bein that on opposite sides of the body; the two parts being connected by a rigid connection, E.

What I claim is.

1. In a mechanical toy of the character described, the combination of. a flexible back-bone, internally disposed means for alternatelybending and releasing said backbone, and spurs in one end of the toy, perinitting progressive movement in only one direction.

2. In a mechanical toy of the character named, the combination of a flexible backbone, a cord extending from end to end of the backbone, means for. alternately drawing up and releasing said. cord, and means for permitting progressive movement in on] one direction. testimony whereof I have atlixed my signature in'presenceof two witnesses.

. WALTER S. DOLMAN.

Witnesses:

Ronnn'r J. Damn, ALLAN Hanson.

A vibrator and es- 

